Report: Inside Andrew’s ‘new home’ at Frogmore Cottage

Prince Andrew is reportedly in talks to relocate from the 30-room, Grade II-listed Royal Lodge to Prince Harry and Meghan’s old home, Frogmore Cottage , and he will undoubtedly find his new home rather less grand. The King’s brother, 65, previously turned down an offer by the Charles to move to the more modest five-bedroom home that was gifted to the couple by the late Queen as a wedding present. However, amid scrutiny over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein , the revelation that he’s not been paying rent at the Royal Lodge and Prince William ‘s threat to strip his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie of their titles if he doesn’t move, Andrew has finally agreed to vacate.

He will be leaving behind, according to royal author Anna Pasternak , a ‘gothic drawing room, a grand saloon with sage green panelling, soaring ceilings, vast oils depicting the surrounding park and acres of worn carpet’. While Grade-II listed Frogmore Cottage is a beautiful home by anyone’s standards, re-settling into Meghan’s modern beige aesthetic will no doubt come as something of a shock to the system for Andrew. Renovations carried out by the Sussexes, at a cost of £2.4million, involved replacing ceiling beams and floor joists and replacing, rewiring the electrical system, and installing new gas and water mains – as well as £50,000 soundproofing to reduce noise pollution.

As well as adding underfloor heating and a copper bath, the couple decked out the property in vegan paint and neutral members’ club decor in shades of ‘greige’. The Duchess enlisted the help of Vicky Charles, a top designer of the Soho House clubs and close friend to the Beckhams and George and Amal Clooney, to decorate the property. Frogmore has been in the family since the 19th century, and was once the place of sanctuary for Grand Duchess Xenia, the sister of Tsar Nicholas II. It was first built as a retreat for Queen Charlotte, the wife of King George III, in 1801, and was originally called Double Garden Cottage before changing its title to Frogmore after Queen Victoria noted an ‘immense number of little frogs’ eating breakfast there.

In the years that followed the Sussexes abandoning ship, the cottage has been inhabited by a handful of others, notably including Andrew’s daughter Princess Eugenie and her husband, Jack Brooksbank, who sublet the property in 2022. Not long before relinquishing royal duties, the Duke and Duchess renewed their lease on the property in May 2022 after Eugenie and her partner vacated the estate in a move to Portugal. More recently, the cottage housed junior chefs working for the royals. Darren McGrady, who became the Queen’s chef, lived there early in his career and told how facilities were basic and ‘a little bit run-down.’

According to reports, there is currently no one taking up residence in the cottage, meaning it would be free for Andrew. Harry and Meghan have previously revealed a number of different photographs from inside the property, with a collection of snaps appearing in their bombshell Netflix documentary. But both the Sussexes and the Brooksbanks have revealed glimpses into the property over the years.

The documentary saw glimpses of the Sussex’s enduring romance. In one posed black and white shot, Meghan can be seen perched upon a marble top kitchen island. Balancing on a wall adjacent, Harry is seen leaning across to kiss his wife, the pair both smartly dressed in a dress and suit. It offered fans a look at the large kitchen, which boasts retro-style pendant lamps, ample cupboard space and hanging saucepans adding to the cosy, country home. As part of their pricey renovations, the pair opted for an open-plan kitchen complete with a breakfast bar, as well as trendy circular handles on drawers and cupboards to create a modern feel.

The built-in cupboards have an open shelved display, and were once used to store glass trinkets and cookbooks of the Sussexes. What’s more, they appeared to have maintained the property’s original doors – complete with a metal hanging lock which connects to the frame. Elsewhere, the couple had gone to great effort to add personal touches to the property, adding picture frames to the walls and decorating the kitchen island with a vase of blooming roses.

Harry and Meghan’s offered a glance inside their living room in 2022 when they shared a collection of portraits in celebration of Lilibet’s first birthday. A black and white photograph of Meghan carrying a sizable bump and wearing a bodycon black dress was taken in the couple’s living space. The picture, which was featured on their Netflix documentary, showcased two plush cream sofas packed with cushions, what appears to be a small olive tree, and a velvet chaise lounge. Another picture taken of Meghan, Lilibet, and friends, revealed ragdoll walls, a cast iron radiator, a floral rug and large artwork hung from the wall. It’s thought that the couple celebrated Lilibet’s birthday with a lowkey party involving a picnic, balloons, and a small selection of friends.

Fans also saw a look in 2021 when Harry’s cousin, Eugenie, took up residence there while the couple were in the US. She shared pictures of their living room when she posted a video recorded version of a podcast for the Anti Slavery Collective. Eugenie was seen perched on a cosy looking sofa draped with a cream throw and adorned with half a dozen red tassel rimmed cushions. Behind her was a large blue painted bookcase brimming with the couple’s collection of novels and nonfiction books.

Royal fans were also treated to rare insight into the interiors at Frogmore Cottage, including snapshots from the bathroom. One sweet picture captured Harry leaning into the bath as he washed the couple’s son, Archie, while Meghan beamed beside him. The enormous roll-top bathroom featured vintage style taps and a decorative row of tiles lining the walls.

Photos taken in the garden of Frogmore Cottage revealed some details about the outside space the Duke and Duchess enjoyed. A still from the Duke and Duchess’s Netflix documentary Harry & Meghan showed Prince Harry running around the garden of Frogmore Cottage chasing after the dogs. In the still, the Duke is seen tumbling over the freshly-mowed lawn with plenty of trees and bushes in the background, suggesting the couple lived in lush surroundings with lots of greenery. Also in the shot is a wooden garden bench with a trellis behind and overhead, fit for growing climbing plants such as ivy or wisteria. Although bare at the time the photo was taken, the bench appeared a tranquil place within the garden. Snaps of Lilibet’s first birthday also offered a look into the garden.

One photo of photographer Misan Harriman, a friend of the Sussexes, showed him relaxing in the Duke and Duchess’ garden on a set of garden chairs. Behind the esteemed photographer, at the back of the freshly mown lawn, appeared to be a large piece of fencing around a caged area. While it is not known what this space is used for, sources previously revealed how the couple had an organic vegetable plot created in the gardens of their home. Keen cooks Harry and Meghan planned to grow their own herbs, fruit and veg at Frogmore Cottage on the Queen’s Windsor estate, well-placed sources previously said. During the one-year-old’s birthday party, it appeared guests sat around a wire table in the garden of the Frogmore Cottage home.

The grey wired table is evident in the forefront of the image with Misan, perhaps having given the Sussexes a place to dine outside, or to watch their children play on the lawn beyond. Writing in his best-selling memoir, Spare, Harry explained how the couple felt about living in the property. ‘Meg and I moved our office into Buckingham Palace. We also moved into a new home. Frogmore was ready. We loved that place,’ he said. ‘From the first minute. It felt as if we were destined to live there,’ he said. ‘We couldn’t wait to wake up in the morning, go for a long walk in the gardens, check in with the swans. Especially grumpy Steve. ‘We met the Queen’s gardeners, got to know their names and the names of all the flowers. They were thrilled at how much we appreciated, and praised, their artistry.’